Cartridges are used to interconnect electronic components encased in a cartridge and a substrate. These cartridges require at least one ground connection, for grounding various signals within the cartridge. Generally, ground is provided on a substrate to which the cartridge is connected.
FIG. 1 illustrates one prior art interconnection of a cartridge to ground. The substrate 110 includes a ground connection. The ground connection may be located on the back-side of the substrate 110. A cartridge 150 is attached to a connector. The connector 160 is designed to be coupled to the substrate 110 at a socket 130. The cartridge 150 is held in place on the substrate by a retaining clip 120.
Generally, the connector 160 includes a plurality of pins 170. The connector 160 also includes ground pins 180, designed to bring the ground signal from the substrate 110 to the cartridge 150.
However, using dedicated ground pins 180 has numerous disadvantages. The number of pins in the connector needs to be increased, increasing manufacturing cost and complexity. Alternatively, fewer pins are available for signals, because some of the pins are dedicated ground pins. Furthermore, the pins may have a high inductance, leading to decreased signal quality especially for high frequency signals. Furthermore, the pins do not reduce the electromagnetic interference (EMI) emissions that are generated by the cartridge 150. Additionally, for high speed connections, the EMI significantly affects the signals between the cartridge 150 and the substrate 110.